IMDb's Definitive List: The 50 Best Films Ever Made

With nearly every movie accessible for streaming on various platforms, now is the perfect opportunity to catch up on timeless classics you’ve always wanted to see—and IMDb suggests beginning with The Shawshank Redemption. This 1994 prison drama, adapted from Stephen King’s novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, tops IMDb’s top-rated movies list with an impressive 9.2 out of 10.

IMDb’s ranking methodology is more complex than simply ordering films by their ratings. To qualify, a film must receive at least 25,000 ratings from “regular IMDb voters,” though the criteria for this group remains unspecified. The final ranking is determined by a weighted formula that considers both the total number of ratings and the average score. For instance, while 1998’s Saving Private Ryan (ranked 27th) and 1968’s Once Upon a Time in the West (ranked 49th) both hold an 8.5 rating, their positions differ due to this formula.

Two undeniable truths emerge from IMDb voters’ preferences. First, audiences adore gripping mobster films. The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather: Part II (1974) hold the second and third spots, respectively, while 1990’s GoodFellas and 2006’s The Departed also rank within the top 50. Second, Christopher Nolan’s directorial prowess is unmatched, with four of his films—The Dark Knight (2008), Inception (2010), Interstellar (2014), and The Prestige (2006)—earning spots on the list.

It’s remarkable that some recent films have already met the 25,000-rating threshold to qualify. This year’s Best Picture Oscar winner, Parasite, holds the 29th spot with an 8.5 rating, while 2020’s Hamilton—recently released on Disney+—claims the 19th position with an 8.6 rating.

Explore the top 50 films listed below, and check out IMDb’s complete ranking of 250 movies

1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) // 9.2

1. The Godfather (1972) // 9.1

1. The Godfather: Part II (1974) // 9.0

1. The Dark Knight (2008) // 9.0

1. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) // 8.9

1. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) // 8.7

1. GoodFellas (1990) // 8.6

1. Life Is Beautiful (1997) // 8.6

1. City of God (2002) // 8.6

1. Saving Private Ryan (1998) // 8.5

1. Parasite (2019) // 8.5

1. Interstellar (2014) // 8.5

1. Harakiri (1962) // 8.5

1. The Pianist (2002) // 8.5

1. The Departed (2006) // 8.5

1. The Intouchables (2011) // 8.5

1. Whiplash (2014) // 8.5

1. The Prestige (2006) // 8.5

1. Grave of the Fireflies (1988) // 8.5

1. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) // 8.5